CELPIP Writing Task 2 · survey response

Survey: free transit pass or extra personal days at work

You work for a mid-sized accounting firm in downtown Calgary. Management has set aside a yearly budget for one new employee benefit and has sent all staff a short survey asking which option they would prefer.

Which new benefit should the company offer employees starting next year?

Option A: Monthly transit pass. The company would pay the full cost of a monthly public transit pass for every employee who wants one.

Option B: Two extra personal days. Every employee would receive two additional paid personal days per year for appointments, family matters or rest.

Choose the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150–200 words.

Your response

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Write at least 50 words first.

Tips for this prompt

Connect your choice to the workplace by explaining how the benefit would affect morale, productivity or staff retention, not only your own life.
Remember that employees commute in different ways; showing awareness of this makes your answer more balanced.
Use a realistic example, such as a dentist appointment, a sick child or a winter commute, to make your reason concrete.

Sample responses

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Sample at about CLB 7169 words · chooses B: Two extra personal days

I think two extra personal days is the better choice for the company. Many employees will like it more than the transit pass.

Not every people use the bus or the train. Some employees drive car to work or they live near and walk. For them the transit pass is no useful. But everybody need personal days. For example, last month I had to go to doctor appointment with my mother and I had to use my vacation day for it. If we have personal days, we don't need to use vacation for this kind of things.

Also, personal days are good for rest. Sometimes people feel very tired because of the work and they need one day to relax. When employees are rested, they work more better and they are more happy in the company.

The transit pass is a good idea too, because it can save money for some workers. But I think personal days help all employees, not only some. That's why I choose personal days.

Why about CLB 7: The choice is supported with a personal example and a fairness point, but the ideas are not developed in much depth. Errors such as "Not every people", "drive car", "no useful", "this kind of things" and "more better" are frequent.

Sample at about CLB 9175 words · chooses A: Monthly transit pass

I would vote for the monthly transit pass. I think this benefit would be more helpful for most of the employees in our company.

Firstly, many of my coworkers take the bus or the train to work every day, including myself. A monthly pass is quite expensive, and if the company paid for it, we would save a good amount of money every month. This would be like getting a small raise, which everyone would be happy about.

Secondly, if the company paid for transit passes, more people might choose to take public transit instead of drive their cars to work. This would be better for the environment and it would also mean less traffic around our office.

Two extra personal days would also be nice, but I think most people already have enough vacation and sick days for their appointments and family matters. A transit pass is something that employees can use every day, not just two days a year.

For these reasons, I would prefer the company to offer the monthly transit pass.

Why about CLB 9: Well organized and easy to follow, though the reasons are general and the "Firstly ... Secondly" structure is mechanical. The claim that most employees take transit is not supported, and "instead of drive" should be "instead of driving".

Sample at about CLB 11185 words · chooses B: Two extra personal days

I favour two additional paid personal days, even though I take the train to our downtown office. In an accounting firm, a little flexibility can protect both staff wellbeing and careful client work.

My seven-year-old son had a morning dental appointment last month. I used half a vacation day, then worked late to complete a client file. Neither task was unusual, but fitting them together left little room for rest. Dedicated personal days would allow employees to handle such obligations without steadily consuming the leave intending for a longer break. After tax season, they could also offer a chance to recover before fatigue affects concentration.

The benefit travels across different circumstances. A colleague who walks to work and another who drives from outside Calgary would receive little from a transit pass, yet both might need time for appointments or family matters. Personal leave gives them that choice.

For planned absences, I would support advance notice and coverage arrangements; unexpected problems would still require flexibility. A free pass would help my budget, but two personal days are the more equitable investment in our team's working conditions.

Why about CLB 11: The response develops the same appointment into a workplace argument and considers implementation without overpromising. "Intending" should be "intended"; the language is otherwise precise.

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